Herbed Potato Salad

I kept making potato salad the same boring way until last Tuesday when I realized I had a bunch of fresh herbs about to go bad. This herbed potato salad doesn’t mess around with mayo or anything creamy, just a sharp dressing that actually tastes like something.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Takes 25 minutes start to finish
• The dressing is basically a punchy herb sauce you pulse together in seconds, and it clings to every potato piece without feeling heavy or gloopy
• No mayo means you can leave it out at a picnic without worrying
• Uses whatever herbs you’ve got lying around
• The Dijon mustard adds this tangy bite that mayo-based versions just can’t match
• You can eat it cold or room temp and it tastes good either way

The Story Behind This Recipe

I had parsley, dill and chives all sitting in my fridge from different recipes and they were starting to look sad. Throwing them out felt wrong so I chopped them up and made a dressing with some shallot and garlic I had. The white wine vinegar was already open on the counter. I figured I’d toss it with potatoes and see what happened. Turned out way better than the potato salad I usually make, which is just potatoes and mayo and not much else. This one actually has flavor you can taste and the herbs make it feel less like a side dish you’re obligated to eat.

What You Need

You need potatoes. I used about 2 pounds of red potatoes because that’s what I grabbed at the store, but Yukon golds work too. Don’t use russets though because they fall apart and turn into mush when you toss them. Cut them into chunks if they’re big or leave them whole if they’re small, just make sure they’re all roughly the same size so they cook evenly.

For the dressing you’ll need 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and I mean actual olive oil not the cheap stuff that tastes like nothing. Then 1/4 cup of fresh herbs which sounds like a lot but it’s not once you chop them. I used parsley, chives and dill but you could do basil or tarragon if that’s what you’ve got. One small shallot gets chopped up rough, and 1 clove of garlic needs to be minced. The garlic is what makes the whole thing smell good when you’re blending it.

You also need 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard which is the whole reason this herbed salad doesn’t taste flat and boring. Then 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar for the acid and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. If you skip the salt the dressing won’t have enough punch to stand up to the potatoes.

How to Make Herbed Potato Salad

Fill a big pot with water and get it boiling hard. Once it’s really going you’ll hear the bubbles getting louder and more intense when you drop the potatoes in. Let them cook for 10 to 15 minutes depending on how big your chunks are. You want a fork to slide right through without any resistance but you don’t want them falling apart in the water.

As soon as they’re done drain them in a colander and immediately run cold water over them. This stops the cooking so they don’t turn mushy and it cools them down enough that you can actually handle them without burning your hands. I let mine sit in the colander for a few minutes while I made the dressing.

Grab your food processor or one of those mini choppers if you have it. Throw in the herbs, the shallot, the garlic, the Dijon mustard, the vinegar, the olive oil and the salt all at once. Pulse it maybe 8 or 10 times until it looks like a thick green sauce with little bits of herb still visible. The smell when you open the lid is really strong and garlicky in a good way.

Once your potatoes are cool enough put them in a bowl. Pour the dressing over them and toss everything together with a spoon or your hands. Be gentle because the potatoes are soft and they’ll break if you’re too rough with them. You want every piece coated but still holding its shape.

The thing I noticed is the dressing gets thicker as it sits on the potatoes for a few minutes. It kind of soaks into the warm spots where the potatoes broke a little and creates these pockets of flavor. That doesn’t happen with mayo-based potato salad because mayo just sits on top.

Taste it now and add more salt if it needs it. I added another pinch because I like things pretty salty. You can eat it right away while it’s still a little warm or stick it in the fridge and have it cold later. Both ways work fine.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I didn’t rinse the potatoes with cold water after I drained them and I just let them sit there steaming in the colander. By the time I made the dressing and poured it on they were so soft they turned into potato mush when I tried to toss them. The Dijon mustard potato salad ended up looking like chunky mashed potatoes with green flecks in it which tasted fine but looked terrible. Now I rinse them the second they’re drained and I don’t skip that step anymore even when I’m tired and want to be done with it.

Herbed Potato Salad

By Emma

Prep:

10 min

Cook:

15 min

Total:

25 min

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

• water for boiling potatoes
• potatoes, size and quantity as preferred
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs (such as parsley, chives, dill), chopped
• 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Method

1. 1 Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add your potatoes and listen for the bubbling intensifying, signaling active cooking. Let them cook until a fork pierces through effortlessly, typically around 10 to 15 minutes depending on their size and your burner’s heat output.
2. 2 Drain the potatoes immediately and rinse them under cold water. You want to stop the cooking process and cool them enough to handle without breaking apart or losing their texture.
3. 3 While the potatoes cool, prepare the dressing. Throw fresh herbs, chopped shallot, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, olive oil, and kosher salt into a mini food processor. Pulse in bursts until the mixture becomes a vibrant, slightly textured emulsion — the aroma should hit you with a fresh, garlicky kick.
4. 4 Once the potatoes have cooled to roughly room temperature, toss them gently in the dressing. Make sure every chunk is coated but avoid smashing them; they should remain firm yet tender.
5. 5 After mixing, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then serve cold or at room temperature. The dressing clings nicely, and the herb-forward punch keeps every bite lively and fresh.

Nutritional information

Calories

220

Protein

3g

Carbs

30g

Fat

10g

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Tips for the Best Herbed Potato Salad

Don’t cut your potatoes too small or they’ll absorb too much water while they boil and get waterlogged. I learned this when I cut mine into tiny cubes once and they tasted diluted and bland even with all that dressing on them.

Make the dressing while the potatoes are still draining so it’s ready to go the second they’re cool enough. If you wait too long the potatoes cool down completely and the dressing doesn’t soak in the same way.

When you’re pulsing the herbs in the food processor stop before it turns into a completely smooth paste. You want some texture left so you can see what herbs you’re eating instead of just green mush.

The shallot gets really strong if you let the dressing sit for more than 20 minutes before tossing it with the potatoes. I made it an hour ahead once and the shallot flavor took over everything else. Now I make it right before I need it.

If your potatoes are on the bigger side cut them in half after they’re cooked instead of before. They hold their shape better and you get those nice flat surfaces where the dressing pools up and sticks.

Serving Ideas

This potato salad works really well next to grilled chicken or steak because the acid in the dressing cuts through the fat from the meat. I had it with pork chops last week and it made the whole plate feel lighter.

You can pile it on top of mixed greens and call it a full salad if you add some cherry tomatoes and maybe some cucumber. The dressing from the potatoes soaks into the lettuce and dresses everything at once.

It’s also good stuffed into a pita with some feta cheese crumbled on top. I did that with leftovers the next day for lunch and it was way better than I expected.

Variations

You can swap out the white wine vinegar for lemon juice if that’s what you have and it makes the whole thing taste brighter and more citrusy. The herbs stand out more with lemon but the dressing is a little thinner.

Adding capers to the food processor when you’re making the dressing gives it this briny salty thing that reminds me of the herbed salad my aunt used to make. Just throw in maybe a tablespoon and pulse them with everything else.

If you want it creamier you can add a tablespoon of sour cream or Greek yogurt to the dressing before you toss it with the potatoes. It’s not mayo so it still feels lighter but you get that richness some people need from their Dijon mustard potato salad.

Using fingerling potatoes instead of red ones makes it look fancier for some reason. They’re more expensive though and honestly they don’t taste that different once the dressing is on them.

FAQ

Can I make this ahead of time? Yeah you can make it the night before and keep it in the fridge. The flavors get stronger as it sits but the potatoes might soak up some of the dressing so you might need to add a little more olive oil and vinegar before serving.

Do I have to use a food processor for the dressing? No but it takes way longer if you chop everything by hand. You need to mince the herbs really fine and smash the garlic into a paste then whisk it all together in a bowl.

What happens if I don’t rinse the potatoes after draining them? They keep cooking from their own heat and turn mushy. I already made this mistake once and wrote about it so don’t do what I did.

Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh ones? Not really because dried herbs don’t have enough moisture or flavor to make the dressing work. It’ll taste dusty and sad instead of bright and herby.

How long does this last in the fridge? About 3 days before the herbs start turning brown and the garlic gets too strong. After that it still tastes okay but it looks kind of gray and unappetizing.

Do I need to peel the potatoes? No and I never do because the skins have flavor and they help the potatoes hold together when you toss them. Just scrub them clean before you boil them.

Can I use regular yellow onion instead of shallot? You can but regular onion is way sharper and it’ll make your dressing taste more oniony than herby. Shallot is milder and blends in better without taking over.

What if I only have one type of herb? Just use 1/4 cup of whatever you’ve got. I’ve made it with only parsley before and it was fine, just not as interesting as when you mix a few different ones.

Why does my dressing look separated? The olive oil probably separated from the vinegar. Just give it a quick stir before you pour it on the potatoes and it’ll come back together.

Can I serve this hot right after making it? Yeah it’s actually really good warm. The dressing smells stronger when the potatoes are still hot and it feels more like a side dish than a cold salad.

How do I know when the potatoes are done boiling? Stick a fork in the biggest piece and if it slides all the way through without any hard center they’re ready. If you feel resistance in the middle they need a few more minutes.

What kind of olive oil should I use? Use one that you’d actually want to taste because you’ll taste it in the final dish. Not the fancy expensive stuff but not the flavorless cheap kind either.

Can I add vegetables to this? Sure you can throw in some blanched green beans or snap peas if you want more texture. Just don’t add anything watery like cucumber because it’ll make the dressing thin and runny.

Do I have to use kosher salt? No but if you use table salt use less because it’s finer and saltier by volume. Start with half a teaspoon and taste before adding more.

Why do my potatoes fall apart when I toss them? Either you overcooked them or you’re being too rough. Use a gentle hand and lift them from the bottom instead of stirring them around hard.

Can I use apple cider vinegar instead? It works but it adds a sweet apple flavor that doesn’t really fit with the herbs. White wine vinegar is sharper and cleaner.

What’s the best way to reheat leftovers? Don’t reheat it, just let it come to room temperature on the counter for 20 minutes. Microwaving it makes the potatoes weird and rubbery.

How much potato salad does this actually make? Enough for 4 people as a side dish. If you’re feeding more than that or you’ve got big eaters double everything.

Can I leave out the mustard? You could but the dressing will taste flat without it. The mustard gives it that tangy bite that makes the whole thing interesting instead of just oily herbs on potatoes.